


Pumpkin Surprise

by xwayvi



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Best Friends, Friends to Lovers, Halloween, M/M, Pumpkins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:28:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27219424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xwayvi/pseuds/xwayvi
Summary: "It's going to be the best Halloween of your life.""I'll hold you to your words Na Jaemin."
Relationships: Lee Jeno/Na Jaemin
Comments: 17
Kudos: 33
Collections: Challenge #2 — tricks; treats; and terrors





	Pumpkin Surprise

1st October 

Jaemin had been adamant about pumpkin carving as soon as the clock struck midnight, which Jeno thought weird at the time. It never usually bothered Jaemin, they’d always just, "do it if there was time,” as he liked to put it. That was just the way Jaemin liked his life to work; he would get around to the activities he didn’t prioritise if time would allow. So it was really just a bit strange… Why was Jaemin so obsessed this year? Jeno had no answer, but that made everything so exciting. He thought he knew everything about Jaemin, maybe he was going to see a new side.

As usual, Jeno spent his life in Jaemin's one bedroom apartment; it was much nicer than being in a student flat with a group of 5 other loud, and just inconsiderate flatmates. They didn't attend university together but that didn't stop them from being together. Distance was nothing to them. Well, the distance really was nothing, their universities were at neighbouring towns so it was never much of a hassle. Just a quick bus ride and they could be together again, the way it had always been.

Pumpkin carving naturally came up; a video filled with cool designs carved into pumpkins popped up on Jeno's twitter feed and he just had to show Jaemin. This was a usual occurrence. Even though they'd spend all night not even 5m away from each other, barely half of that would be filled with actual conversation. Instead, they'd just be silently scrolling until they found something to share.

"Jaemin, look at these. They're so cool!" Jeno exclaimed. Anything artistic got him excited, Jaemin too, usually. Neither of them were great at art, but that didn't stop them admiring everyone else's work.

"Oh my God Jeno we need to carve some pumpkins this year. We have to make time for it, it has to be a priority." It was like a lightbulb had just turned on in Jaemin's brain.

"I mean, if you really insist," Jeno chuckled. Jaemin hadn't been this excited about an artistic project in a long time.

"I really do insist, it's going to be the best Halloween of your life."

"I'll hold you to your words Na Jaemin," Jeno teased.

10th October

Jaemin was acting weird again. It seemed as October carried further on, he was getting more restless and just, different. It felt as if October had replaced his best friend’s brain with gummy worms and they were gonna spill out of his head at any moment, leaving it completely empty; well, at least that would've made some sense. 

The pumpkin conversation just wouldn't end, it was almost turning into an obsession, and Jaemin was never that fussed about things. He was usually the chill half, as Jeno liked to put it; Jaemin was always the one to remind them that things didn't always have to be done and there was no shame in not getting everything you wanted finished.

"Jeno I've been researching these past few days and I've found a really pretty pumpkin patch and I don't know, maybe we could pick our pumpkins there instead of just from a supermarket? Just like you've always wanted," Jaemin broke the silence in his bedroom once again with a big, bright smile on his face, but Jeno didn't mind. He did always love when Jaemin looked at him like that. It was as if the Sun was beaming at him, giving him all of the light he'd ever need for a lifetime.

"Yeah that's sounds really cool… But I thought you didn't like them?" Jeno questioned. It was nice that Jaemin did actually listen to activities he wanted to do, but he didn't expect him to go out of his way and actually try and do them with Jeno. It was sweet really.

"Well I just want to make this Halloween special. I know how much you love it."

"Let's do it then!" 

20th October

Jaemin was restless. Jeno could tell. Well, he'd been restless since the pumpkin carving suggestion and of course Jeno tried to pry why out of Jaemin. It just didn't work, which was weird because Jaemin would always tell Jeno everything.

"Jaemin, if pumpkin carving is making you this stressed, we don't have to do it you know."

"No, Jeno I want to do this. I'm sorry, I've just been so wrapped up in my own head. I want this to be perfect," Jaemin replied.

"Hey it's okay. It's just me, your little best friend Jeno. The same best friend you've had since secondary school began. I don't care if it's perfect, as long as we have fun," Jeno reassured his best friend, making sure to add his signature smile to every sentence he said. The smile that Jaemin loved; the smile that would always reach Jeno's eyes and make him look like the happiest man on the planet. Jaemin wanted to make him the happiest man on the planet. He wanted to see that smile every single day. That's why everything had to be perfect.

29th October 

Buying pumpkins was a little bit stressful to say the least. Both Jeno and Jaemin neglected to think about the fact that the pumpkin patch would actually be busy literally 2 days before Halloween. 

"Well it's nice to know that no amount of planning can save us and our 3 brain cells combined," Jeno joked with Jaemin, trying to lighten the mood. He could tell Jaemin was a little bit stressed with just how many people were there.

"Yep that's true Jeno," Jaemin chuckled in return, a small smile forming on his lips.

The pumpkin patch had a booking system and the pair had exactly an hour and a half to locate their perfect pumpkin and buy it; 'sounds easy enough,' Jeno thought. It usually only took about a minute to pick a supermarket pumpkin, it couldn't be much harder than that.

\---

Maybe Jeno underestimated just how perfect Jaemin wanted his pumpkin.

"Which one do you think Jeno, sexy sphere or imperfectly perfect?" Jaemin still tried to joke, even if Jeno could tell he was seriously stressing over a pumpkin.

"Look, Jaemin, they're both great and I love the nicknames, but this is the 7th pair of pumpkins you've made me choose between and at this point they're all starting to look the same. All I can see is orange."

"I guess you're right, sexy sphere it is!" Jaemin exclaimed, fist pumping the crisp autumn air. 

31st October

Jaemin's apartment was Halloween. That's the only way Jeno could think to describe it as he walked into his best friend's home. 

"You must've spent hours on this. It's really amazing Jaemin," Jeno complimented the hard work. He always wanted to make sure everyone got appreciated as much as they deserved. That's another part of Jeno Jaemin absolutely loved. He was just so loving and Jaemin wanted all of that love.

Jaemin rushed Jeno to the dining room table; he barely had time to take his coat and shoes off, but he didn't mind. He could tell his best friend was excited to begin the festivities and he didn't want him to have to wait any longer. 

"Okay Jeno I have some rules."

"Wow, rules, I didn't know pumpkin carving was this serious."

"Oh Mr. Lee I mean business so you better get ready to listen."

"Well I'm listening Mr. Na," Jeno teased. 

"Rule One: We have exactly an hour to carve our pumpkins, I have a timer and everything so there's no getting round me Jeno Lee." Jaemin knew that Jeno liked to take his time.

"Rule Two: no peeking. This is the most important rule, you seriously can not peek at my pumpkin. If you do I will end this friendship immediately."

"Well I guess you mean business, Mr. Na," Jeno teased again. It was the reaction Jaemin was looking for and he knew it.

"As always Jeno Lee. Anyway let's start."

The timer began and Jaemin made sure he was exactly opposite Jeno; there really was no chance of any of them peeking. 

Jaemin had a pumpkin plan whereas Jeno clearly didn't. He was just going with the flow, enjoying scooping out everything inside the pumpkin and messing around with every single carving tool beside him. Jaemin on the other hand was the personification of concentration; even his tongue was sticking out of his mouth. Jeno absolutely loved that. To be honest he loved all of Jaemin's little quirks and habits because they made Jaemin Jaemin.

\---

"1 minute remaining." The timer interrupted the silence in the room. Jeno had finished 5 minutes prior but Jaemin was still going, keeping his state of concentration right until the end.

"3...2...1...TIME IS UP," the timer blared. 

Jeno could feel Jaemin's mood switch with the ending of the timer. He was nervous. 

"I wanna go first," Jeno said, "mine actually wasn't a complete fail for once."

"Go for it." There was that smile again. The smile that Jeno loved. The smile that gave him so much comfort and made him feel like everything would always be okay.

Jeno turned around his pumpkin, making sure the whole thing was on display. It was a simple design, just the average pumpkin face most people drew. Jeno wanted to keep it simple, he liked simple sometimes.

"Wow I love it. You even got both of the triangle eyes to perfectly match. Mr. Lee I am incredibly impressed. If I was a pumpkin judge I'd give you a solid 8.5."

"What about the other 1.5. C'mon you've gotta give me a 10 for those perfect triangle eyes," Jeno huffed. It made Jaemin chuckle but he just shook his head, making his best friend giggle too. It was ridiculous but they loved it like this.

"Well if I'm not getting a 10 from you, your pumpkin better blow me away Na Jaemin."

"Oh don't worry, it will," Jaemin replied, getting ready for the big reveal, "I've been planning this all month."

"Yeah I mean I could kinda…"

The pumpkin had been turned. Jaemin's creation was facing Jeno. Jeno was speechless. In front of him, the pumpkin read 'be my boyfriend?' in the most beautiful font Jeno had seen. 

"So, is it a 10 or did I completely miss the mark?" Jaemin was nervous, Jeno could tell no matter how hard Jaemin was trying not to show it.

"Well if I just reply with a yes will that answer your question?" 

"I guess it does," Jaemin beamed, Jeno following not long after. "Now come here, I've been waiting to kiss you for years."

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you all enjoyed :))  
> This was written for my first ever fic fest and I really had a great time.  
> my twt is @butterflyjjong   
> curious cat https://curiouscat.qa/butterflyjjong


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